Italian · Greetings & Essentials
"Where are you from?" in Italian: Di dove sei?
Di dove sei?
Note: formal: Di dov'è?
Where are you from? in Italian with tu is Di dove sei? (dee DOH-veh sey). Keep the whole phrase. Formal lei uses Di dov'è? Answers often start sono di…
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How to pronounce Di dove sei?
Say it
dee DOH-veh sey
/di ˈdo.ve sei/
Di dove sei: dee DOH-veh sey. Dove stresses DOH.
"Where are you from?" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Di dove sei? | Where are you from? (informal) Tu form. | Tu form. |
| Di dov'è? | Where are you from? (formal) Lei form. | Lei form. |
| Di dove sei originario/a? | Where are you originally from? Slightly fuller. | Slightly fuller. |
| Sei di qui? | Are you from here? Local check. | Local check. |
How to use Di dove sei? in real life
- 1Language exchange
Piacere! Di dove sei?
Nice to meet you! Where are you from?
Full phrase Di dove sei?
- 2Hostel kitchen
Di dove sei? Io sono di Bari.
Where are you from? I'm from Bari.
Question then answer.
- 3Class icebreaker
Prima domanda: di dove sei?
First question: where are you from?
Lowercase mid-sentence still counts.
Mistakes English speakers make with Di dove sei?
Incorrect: Da dove sei?
Correct: Di dove sei?
The set phrase uses di, not da.
Incorrect: Di dove tu sei?
Correct: Di dove sei?
No extra tu—sei already marks tu.
Good to know
Di dove sei? is friendly small talk, not an interrogation. Italians often follow with a region or city pride moment—let people name the place themselves.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a cooking class
ChatPal
Ciao! Di dove sei?
Hi! Where are you from?
You
Di dove sei tu, prima? Scherzo: sono di Boston.
Where are you from first? Kidding: I'm from Boston.
ChatPal
Bello. Io sono di Torino.
Nice. I'm from Turin.
You
Allora, di dove sei esattamente in città?
So, where are you from exactly in the city?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Where are you from?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Where are you from?" in Italian
Informal phrase?
Di dove sei?
Formal phrase?
Di dov'è?
How do I answer?
Sono di + city, or vengo da + place.
Di or da?
In this question, use di: Di dove sei?
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